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Advanced Search - search by SmPC section

Search by section lets you search for words or phrases that are present or absent in one or more sections of the SmPC. Search by section will answer this type of question.

Are there any paracetamol tablets that do not contain lactose?

Which drugs are licensed to treat rheumatoid arthritis?

Are there any treatments for hypertension (high blood pressure) that do not cause a particular side effect?

For example, this search would find paracetamol preparations that do not contain lactose or talc.

To search by section, firstly use the drop down list to choose the section of the SmPC you want to search. If you are not sure which section to search, read our SmPC guide in the glossary. Then, choose either contains (the word or phrase is in the SmPC section) or does not contain (the word or phrase is not in the SmPC section). Type in your search word or words. Click Add and repeat the steps to build your search. Then click search. You can edit or delete a search entry if you need to.

Each SmPC section can only be selected once. Multiple search terms can be added for each search section and can be combined with and, or, not.

Search by section does not search for synonyms and so searching for heart will not find cardiac. You might need to type in synonyms to cover all the options. For example heart or cardiac. However matching word stems are automatically found. For example typing in tablet will find tablets. Cap will find capsule, caplet etc.

Searching for phrases

If you want to search for an exact phrase, add double quotation marks around the phrase, for example "rheumatoid arthritis". This search will only find documents where the words are next to each other and there is an exact word match.

Searching for multiple words

If you type several words into the search box, for example rheumatoid arthritis, the search finds documents that contain both the words and so searches for rheumatoid and arthritis. The words may not be next to each other in the document. There is no need to link the words together with the word and.

The word order does not affect the results. Eye drops will find the same results as drops eye.

Combining search words using and, or, not

You can combine your search words using and, or, not. For example:

Typing in rheumatoid and arthritis will find documents that contain both the words rheumatoid and arthritis.

Typing in rheumatoid and arthritis and tablet will find documents that contain all three words rheumatoid, arthritis and tablet. Do not use & to combine search words.

Typing in rheumatoid or arthritis will find documents that contain either the word rheumatoid or the word arthritis.

Typing in rheumatoid not arthritis will find documents that contain the word rheumatoid but not the word arthritis.

Automatic word stems

When you type in a word we automatically search for this word, plus any other words in a document that start with this word stem. For example if you search for pain, we also find documents containing the words painful, painfully and painkiller.

If you do not want to search for other word stems, add double quotation marks around the word, for example "pain".

Capital letters

The eMC is not case sensitive and so searching for paracetamol and PARACETAMOL will find the same results.

Using brackets

The eMC will search for your words in the order you type them running from left to right. If you place brackets around search words, the eMC will search for these first and will then search for other words. For example:

Typing in X or Y and Z. The eMC will search for documents containing X. It will then search for documents that contain Y and Z. It will then combine the two searches together presenting the results in alphabetical order.

Typing in X or (Y and Z). The eMC will search for documents that contain the word X. It will then search for documents that contain Y and Z. It will then combine the two searches together presenting the results in alphabetical order.

Typing in X and Y or Z. The eMC will search for documents containing X and Y. It will then search for documents that contain Z. It will then combine the two searches together presenting the results in alphabetical order.

Typing in X and (Y or Z). The eMC will search for documents that contain the word X. It will then search for documents that also contain Y or Z. It will then combine the two searches together presenting the results in alphabetical order.

Typing in (W and X) or (Y and Z). The eMC will search for documents that contain W and X and then search for documents that contain Y and Z. It will then combine the two searches together presenting the results in alphabetical order.